Data storage and retrieval systems are used to store information provided by one or more host computer systems. Such data storage and retrieval systems receive requests to write information to one or more secondary storage devices, and requests to retrieve information from those one or more secondary storage devices. Upon receipt of a write request, the system stores information received from a host computer in a data cache. In certain implementations, a copy of that information is also stored in a nonvolatile storage device. Upon receipt of a read request, the system recalls information from the one or more secondary storage devices and moves that information to the data cache. Thus, the system is continuously moving information to and from storage devices, and to and from the data cache.
In certain data processing applications, data is copied to multiple individual information storage and retrievals systems. Such applications include, for example, peer-to-peer remote copy operations. In such applications, data is copied from a source information storage and retrieval system to a target information storage and retrieval system.
What is needed is an apparatus and method to verify the physical and/or logical configuration of a target information storage and retrieval system. Applicant's apparatus and method can verify the physical and logical configuration of a target system, and can, in certain instances, cure physical object and/or logical object conflicts that might otherwise cause a validation failure.